A Chance of Sunshine
by een nihc
Summary: When Anko was twelve, she killed five people with a bomb. Twelve years later, she becomes a doctor of Konoha Hospital when her past comes back to haunt her. The road to redemption is a long one. AU. Anko, Kimimaro.


Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

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><p><strong> A Chance of Sunshine<strong>

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><p>It is one of those days when the weather is perfect and all you want to do is to curl up in your bed, doing practically nothing except daydreaming. Unfortunately for Anko, she doesn't have that kind of luxury. Being a doctor in Konoha Hospital means she has to be on call all the time. But she isn't complaining either. She loves her job.<p>

"Morning, Dr Mitarashi."

"Morning, Mrs. Tanaka. How are you feeling today?" Anko smiles in return and continues to check her patient's record.

She has been informed that a new patient has been transferred to her unit - a terminal cancer patient. She frowns when she finally meets her new patient in person, not out of distaste of the person himself but rather the condition that he is in.

His actual age is not more than thirty yet his uncharacteristic white hair makes him look much older than he is. His skin so pale that she can clearly sees his vein underneath. His skeletal frame seems breakable by a simple shake of hand.

Kaguya Kimimaro. An unusual surname. Anko makes a mental note to herself.

"Morning, Kaguya-san. The weather is fine today, isn't it?" The doctor smiles as she greets him. She might as well speak to a wall because it makes no difference. He doesn't even flinch in response. His glazed sea green eyes are fixed at the glass window hollowly.

Strangely, the old scar behind her neck starts throbbing again without any apparent reason. Anko rubs it absently to ease her pain. When she looks up again, she suddenly finds him staring back at her.

"Yes, Kaguya-san? Anything that I can help you?"

He doesn't reply. He merely continues to stare at her intently as if he has known her somewhere in another universe. She tries to search his face in her memories but it draws a blank. Even when she finishes her work and leaves the ward, Anko still can't shake the uneasy feeling of a pair of eyes following her and boring into the back of her skull.

Few patients has ever leaves her with such unnerving first impression. That is when the violet haired doctor decides she will investigate further. She stays back that day to examine Kimimaro's medical record.

At first glance, there is nothing unusual on papers. Yet as she digs deeper, the background of this man is almost non-existent and it is unclear how he ended up where he is. He doesn't have any permanent address or contacts, no records of employment, no nothing. It is as if this man is a phantom with no evidence to confirm his existence. All her lead has ended with a dead end.

Anko shuts her files and rubs her forehead tiredly. It is probably time for her to pull some strings. She scrolls down the contacts in her cell phone to find the number that she has yet to delete just in case she might need it at times like this. Her thumb hovers over the number for a while before she finally presses the dial key reluctantly.

"Hello, beautiful."

Just hearing Genma's smug voice makes her wants to hang up right there and then.

"Unfortunately, I can't say the same to you."

Her sarcastic answer earns her a chuckle on the other end of the line.

"Aw, how cold. It's been so long since we last talk. I really miss you."

She interjects impatiently. "Listen, there's something that I need you to help me. When can we meet?"

"I'm so touched. You really do miss me after all, huh? Tonight after eight, I'm all yours, babe."

Anko rolls her eyes. It used to be cute when he flirts with her like this while they were dating. Now, it only serves to annoy her to no end. She swears to herself that this is the last time she'll ever call him on the phone again.

"I just lost my appetite. Tonight eight thirty at Ichikaru's. Remember, you owe me one."

With that, Anko ends the call curtly. The only perk about having a womanizer ex-boyfriend who is a federal agent is that he owes you a favor after you caught him cheating on you red-handed. She is merely collecting her debts now.

* * *

><p>The Ichikaru's is a decent family oriented ramen restaurant in town. Anko isn't exactly a fan of ramen herself but she doesn't want to choose a fancy restaurant with dim lights and soft background music. That will defeat any hope to talk to her ex-boyfriend on a strictly platonic ground.<p>

She decides to go there straight from the hospital after work, in her work attire – a black sleeveless turtle neck top, a tan coat on top and a brown knee-length skirt. She doesn't bother to fix her hair either. Her hair bun has loosened. As a result, her loose hair starts sticking out from the bun like spikes. She doesn't feel like impressing her former flame or anyone.

She opens her laptop and start checking her emails while she is waiting for Genma.

8.15p.m.

"I thought I'm the one who is early here."

A man in white shirt and black suit sits down besides her. Anko doesn't bother to turn and look to know who it is.

"You thought wrong." She replies dryly as she shut her laptop and put it into her bag.

"Long day at work, doc?" He asks casually.

This time, she finally looks up and meets his eyes. He hasn't changed much, still wearing his trademark black bandana and that lazy smirk that never seems to leave his face… still manages to make her heart pounds faster than usual (although she will never admit it). And she pretends very hard not to notice the silver ring that he is wearing on his right index finger – the matching ring that they bought together at a flea market. Hers is kept inside a box along with other things that would remind her of him in the attic. The last thing she needs is to fall for him all over again, Anko reminds herself sharply.

"We should order something." She tactfully averts her gaze to the menu on the table instead.

To the bystanders, they look nothing more than colleagues who decide to grab dinner together before heading back home. She prefers it this way. Although it never deters him from attempting to flirt with her every chance he has. After their dinner, Anko takes out a photo from her coat and pushes it towards Genma.

"Please help me find out everything you can about this man." She says plainly.

Genma slips it into his coat after a brief glance. Anko stands up and place some notes on the counter, enough to cover for both of them, before leaving.

"My treat."

Just as she is about to turn her heels and leave, Genma asks her a question that forces her to pause in her track.

"Is he someone important to you?" he asks quietly. It is a simple question yet depending on how she answers it, it might change everything between them. If she plays her cards right, she knows he will stop flirting with her. And they can both finally move on with their life without each other, although to even think about that leaves a dull pang in her chest.

"He's a patient of mine. I hope to find out more to help him."

If Genma is grinning ear to ear like a fool, Anko never bothers to find out. But she does know that she feels a whole lot better than she was when she first stepped into the Ichikaru's that night.

* * *

><p>On the next day, the good old Mrs. Tanaka informs Anko that she noticed that the weird new patient hasn't spoken a word since he was transferred here. Anko thanked the elder woman politely for her information and assured her that she will do her best as their doctor.<p>

But what truly concerns the doctor is that Kimimaro has refused to consume any food or water until the nurse force fed him. For a patient who is as weak as he is, everyone is surprised to find out that what he lacks in strength; he makes up with sheer stubbornness. When that doesn't work either, the nurse eventually gives up and hooks his arm with a glucose IV solution instead as the last resort.

Anko scowls to herself upon hearing the news. If this keeps up, it won't take very long before his body functions start shutting down one by one. Although his days are already numbered, she hates to see it shortened to single digit this way. As his doctor, she won't give up on him even if he seems to have given up the will to live. To give up is something that she will not tolerate no matter what the circumstances is.

With this new resolution, Anko marches to the nearest vending machine. And when she goes back into the ward, a packet of chocolate candies is in her hand. No one will say no to chocolate candies, right? At least, she hopes so.

She pours out some candies onto her palm and offers them to the patients in the ward. It immediately attracts them like ants to sweets; sweet treat like this is normally banned from their daily meals. The nurse gives her a questioning look but she merely winks back. The nurse immediately gets the hint and leaves the room.

She observes Kimimaro from the corner of her eye furtively. He looks up for a while to see what the commotion is about and then averts his gaze back to the window. She moves closer towards his bed and casually asks him, "Kaguya-san, do you want some of these?"

When he doesn't respond, she pops a red candy into her mouth.

"I like the red ones. When I was small, I used to pick out the red ones and left the rest to my friend."

This time he visibly flinches. Her hope soars a little before it is shot down harshly when he opts to close his eyes, cutting her off completely. She takes it as a cue to leave him alone. But before she leaves, she deliberately leaves some candies on his tray.

When she checks on him again in the evening, only the red ones are left on his tray.

Maybe, just maybe, there's hope yet.

* * *

><p>A sharp ringing tone jars Anko from her sleep in the middle of the night. She cracks an eye open to read the time on the alarm clock besides her bed.<p>

2.30a.m.

Anko mutters a curse and picks up her phone grudgingly.

"Dr. Mitarashi, this is an emergency. We need you to come to the hospital immediately. Your patient, Kaguya Kimimaro, room 103, is missing."

Every ounce of her sleepiness dissipates instantaneously.

"When did this happen?"

"Fifteen minutes ago when I checked the room, he wasn't there. We've checked everywhere but we couldn't find him anywhere in the hospital. Hold on a second, doc." The nurse put down the phone hastily. There is some noise at the background. A moment later, when the nurse picks up the phone again, her voice is tense.

"One of the staff just found him on the roof."

"I'll be there as soon as I can."

Anko slams down the phone and rolls off her bed. She grabs her coat and car keys and immediately heads to the car park of her apartment.

_This is bad, really bad. _

Why hasn't she paid more attention to him? He is obviously displaying signs of depression and isolation. To be suicidal is only one step further.

On the way to the hospital, she ignores the traffic lights when it turns read and accelerates instead. A flash of traffic camera captures her offense but she doesn't care. She will worry about the ticket later.

_Don't die till I get there. Don't you dare!_ She thinks angrily.

She barges into the hospital entrance like a hurricane and presses the elevator's button repeatedly until the plastic almost cracks. The elevator seems to move so slowly that she feels like ages must have passed before it reaches the top floor. From there, she still needs to race one more fleet of stairs before she finally arrives at the roof.

The security guard and a few hospital staffs try to get near to the edge where the white haired patient is precariously standing. They try to convince him to get down with no avail.

"Kaguya-san, don't do this. Please come down. We beg you."

Anko's heart tightens in fear at the sight of him. His pale silhouette almost gleams under the moonlight. The chilly temperature doesn't seem to bother him at all although he is only clad in the hospital robe that does little to shield him from the cold. When he turns back to glance at them, his jade eyes are cold and resolute. It only tells them one thing, he is going to jump.

She takes a few deep breaths to calm herself. Clearly, pleading isn't working. Using physical forces to drag him back to safety is too risky and might backfire if he jumps before they can catch him. She needs to think of something else, something unexpected that will catch him off-guard.

"You know what? You want to jump, fine. Go ahead. But I'll join you."

She takes off her shoes and climbs onto the edge of building just a few feet away from where he is standing.

"WHAT! Dr. Mitarashi? Not you too!"

The rest of the staff looks at her as if she has lost her mind too. She doesn't blame them. This is crazy and risky but she has to give it a try. She doesn't think she can live it down with herself if he jumps right in front of her eyes and she doesn't try anything to stop him.

This is definitely going to get his attention. Sure enough, Kimimaro shifts his gaze and stares at her. She stares right back defiantly and let her sudden rush of adrenaline fuel her anger and courage. In the distance, the siren of police car and fire brigade can be heard. All she needs to do now is to stall him.

"So you think you're the most miserable person in the entire world, huh? Let me tell you something, you aren't the first and you won't be the last. I should be dead twelve years ago. I killed five innocent men with a bomb and something in my brain burst as well. I shouldn't be standing here having this conversation with you."

All her memories before that incident are wiped clean. She is lucky enough that she survive at all. Dr. Tsunade, the infamous brain surgeon practically brought her back from death. Just like that, she was given a second chance in life. Sometimes, Anko doesn't think she deserves it even if she is atoning her sin everyday ever since. No matter how many life she has saved, five precious lives has been lost forever because of her. She doesn't want another one to add to her list.

"I know." A deep, hoarse voice startles her and her eyes snap open instantly. Her throat suddenly runs dry and she almost chokes as she asks, "How?"

She has never told anyone in the hospital except her best friend and psychiatrist, Dr. Kurenai. The chairman of Konoha Hospital, Sarutobi Hiruzen, knows her past as well since he was the one who took her under his wings. There is no way a patient like him could've known her past.

Kimimaro says nothing after that.

_How dare he think he knows anything about me? He knows nothing at all!_

Anko is so furious that she marches over to his side without thinking and grabs his collar threateningly, momentarily forgetting the fact that she is standing at the edge of a twenty storey high building. Everyone else gasps in fright for her. If she slips and falls, nothing can save her this time.

The collar of Kimimaro's flimsy robe is wide open now as the furious doctor balls her fist in the material. Her brown eyes widen impossibly when she notices the mark of three black curve lines in a circular pattern at the base of his collarbones. The recognition of it hit her like a ton of bricks and throws her off completely.

Her left hand flies to the back of her neck instinctively where the similar marking in the shape of three tomoes lies. It is nothing but a curse that her former master has left her with.

Now she knows what they have in common.

Orochimaru.

The world around her suddenly starts spinning and her head hurts badly. White, blinding spots bursts in her head rapidly. Her balance tips to one side dangerously.

"Anko!"

Someone shouts her name and then she sees and hears nothing.

* * *

><p>The next time Anko opens her eyes, she finds herself lying on a hospital bed. That means she is still alive somehow. Her head still feels dizzy and heavy. Other than that, she is fine. At least that is what she tries to convince herself.<p>

"You should rest a bit before getting up."

It is none other than her best friend, Dr Yuuhi Kurenai who greets her sight.

"What happened?"

"You had us all worried sick, you know. I don't even want to think what will happen if Kaguya didn't catch you in time."

"Sorry."

"It's okay. You're safe now."

Anko struggles to prop herself up from the bed.

"What happened to him?"

"He was detained for questioning about his suicide attempt. But the police have released him yesterday considering his deteriorating medical condition."

"I think I need a drink." Anko announces tiredly.

The other doctor merely laughs and agrees.

"I think you'll need more than a drink, sweetheart."

It has been very long since Anko last hanged out with her best friend in a quiet bar. _It has been ages, actually._ There is always more life to save, more reports to be completed and she has no time for herself. She needs a break; she has postponed it too many times than she had remembered.

"Here's to two stunning doctors who never have time for themselves!"

Anko hold up her drink.

Kurenai smiles and humors her distressed friend anyway.

"Cheers!"

If there is anyone who knows her better than herself, Anko is certain that it would be Kurenai. The woman knows her deepest and darkest secret and remains tight-lipped about it throughout the years.

Anko was a rebellious and troubled girl, running away from the orphanage at the age of eleven to follow a man who turns out to be an international terrorist. The scar on her neck is the living proof of it. She was twelve when she first planted a bomb that injures several people and eventually killed five people at a subway station.

_"Make me proud." _

Her master told her before she left that day. That was all she could remember.

As the bomb exploded, something in her brain burst as well. It was meant to kill her, to wipe out all evidence and witness. Yet she has somehow managed to survive miraculously, all thanks to Dr. Tsunade. As a result, all her memories before that incident were wiped. The police had no choice but to drop their charge against her as she was proven to be a victim herself. The rest is history until it comes back twelve years later to haunt her.

Kurenai waits patiently for her to speak again after several rounds of beer. When she does, her voice is trembling like a leaf in the wind.

"He is one of them."

And Kurenai knows exactly who the 'he' that her friend is referring to. She hugs Anko's shoulder gingerly and murmurs to comfort her friend, "Shh, they can't hurt you again."

"How can you be so sure?"

Kurenai looks into Anko's eyes and says wholeheartedly, "Because this time, you won't be alone."

For the first time in many years, Anko finally allows herself to let her tears flow freely.

* * *

><p>The next time Anko meets Kiminmaro again, she wants to punch him and yell at his face for being such an obnoxious bastard. Yet her words die in her throat when she sees the sorry state that he is in. He is being restrained by binding around his arms so that he can't hurt himself again. And she can see that his illness has taken a toll on his body. He resembles a corpse than a living, breathing human.<p>

She sits down besides his bed and she is not quite sure what to say for the first time. So she blurts out the first question that comes to her mind.

"Hey, do you know me from before? I can't really remember."

The pale haired patient nods in response.

"How was I like?" she asks awkwardly.

A slight smile tugs at the corner of his lips as if he remembers something.

"You don't really change much. Still like to eat the red candies, I see."

Anko can feel the heat rising on her cheeks. She blames it to the hot weather. That is no way she blushes because of his casual comment.

"Are we friends then?"

"You can say that, I guess."

"What do you mean 'you guess'?"

Anko is pleasantly surprised that they can banter like long lost friends. Kimimaro still doesn't talk much but once she gets him to relax, she finds herself enjoying his company. But still their linked pass with Orochimaru leaves a sour taste that she cannot ignore.

"So when did that snake bastard brand you with the curse?"

Kimimaro frowns at her choice of word and proceeds to correct her, "It's a gift from master Orochimaru."

With that, the atmosphere in the room changes drastically. The resent that she struggles to suppress begin to rear its ugly head. For a moment, she is too furious to say anything. When she does speak again, her tongue strikes like a cobra, her words drip with venom, "Then where is he now, huh? Did he visit you even once? Your precious master has abandoned you and completely forgotten about you once you're useless to him. You're nothing but a tool to him! So was I."

"That's not true. You and I are different. Even if I die, I will remain in master Orochimaru's heart forever."

"Kaguya, do you seriously believe that?"

"Yes, I do."

Anko suddenly feels very numb. There is nothing left for her to say. She is utterly defeated. She stands up and heads towards the door promptly. Just before she leaves, she hears him say, "Someday I hope you'll find someone important to you too."

Somewhere in her heart cracks painfully.

* * *

><p>Genma keeps up his end of bargain when he shows up at her doorstep a week later, albeit there isn't much she can do with that information.<p>

Kimimaro is an orphan much like herself. He is the last of his kin. The Kaguya clan was nearly wiped out years ago in a civil war. His clan was feared for their battle abilities. Their bone structure is unique and legend has it that nothing can pierce through their bones.

All Genma can find out is that Kimimaro used to stay at an orphanage until he suddenly disappears one night. No one was sure where he went. All records were burnt during a fire at the orphanage. Police report was made but that too went missing mysteriously. A month later, the police gave up the search on him.

There is some link between him and a few terrorist activities over the years but they have nothing concrete on him.

"I'm afraid I can't help you much with these."

Genma rubs the back of his neck apologetically.

"It's alright. You've done your best."

"I guess this means there'll be no goodbye kiss for me tonight." He pouts like a five-year-old, which looks ridiculous and extremely childish on a grown man like him.

A vein pops on Anko's forehead.

"Shiranui Genma, do you have a head concussion or something? We broke up _ages_ ago."

Genma laughs heartily. He almost drops the toothpick that hangs dangerously between his lips.

"Come on, it can't be that long."

"Goodbye and good night."

Anko literally has to kick his butt out from her apartment and shut the door behind her swiftly.

"Next time then." Genma yells through the closed door.

_That idiot never knows when to give up._ Anko sighs. Despite that, she finds herself can't help smiling a little.

She already knows Kimimaro used to work with Orochimaru. So she isn't surprised that he was involved in some terrorist attacks and what not. What surprises her is that one of the photograph shows that he was with a man in round glasses and ponytail. That face seems awfully familiar to her.

After a while, she gasps when she finally manages to match that face with a name.

Dr. Yakushi Kabuto.

He is a surgeon in Konoha Hospital. She doesn't really know him well. They are merely acquaintance and colleagues at best. Perhaps he can answer a question or two regarding Kimimaro.

* * *

><p>The first thing Anko does in the morning is to check Dr. Yakushi's schedule for the day. He has a surgery to be performed in the afternoon but he should be free in the evening.<p>

_That's good._

She might be able to speak to him later.

Her shift is almost finished by the time the sun sets. She waits patiently outside Kabuto's office for him. Oddly, Kabuto doesn't seem too surprised when he sees her outside his office.

"How may I help you, Dr. Mitarashi?"

"I'm sorry, Dr. Yakushi. If you're not convenient to talk now, I can come back another day."

"No, now is fine."

"I understand that Kaguya Kimimaro was your former patient. Can I ask you a few questions about him, Dr. Yakushi?"

"Of course, Dr Mitarashi. Please come in."

The surgeon pushes his glasses up with his index finger, "I'm just curious, how you knew he was my former patient?"

"From a reliable source." She refuses to let up.

"I see. Well, what do you want to know about him?"

"I'm sure you've heard that the patient tried to jump from the hospital roof a week ago. Any information will be useful."

She looks at him straight in the eye, unrelenting.

"Unfortunately there is nothing much I can offer that you don't know already. His condition is already terminal when he first admitted into the hospital."

His glasses reflect the light and hide his eyes from her view.

It's odd considering she remembers clearly that the photograph dated a few years ago before Kimimaro is admitted into Konoha Hospital.

Her gut feeling tells her that he is hiding something that he isn't willing to share and she doubts he will answer her truthfully even if she asks him. If anything, it only encourages her to dig deeper and find the truth herself. The awkward silence lasts for a minute before she breaks it.

"Thank you, Dr Yakushi."

The grey haired surgeon smiles and replies smoothly, "Any time. Dr. Mitarashi, just a piece of advice. Sometimes you can't save someone who doesn't want to be saved."

That statement burns like an insult. The last thing she needs is a piece of shitty advice from him. Anko clenches her jaw tightly and it takes every fibre of her being not to spin around and snap at him. She takes a deep breath to calm herself before she replies defiantly.

"That doesn't mean that I should stop trying."

She will be a better doctor than he ever was to Kimimaro. She shall make him see. With that, she leaves without a backward glance.

As soon as his office's door is closed, Kabuto fishes out his cell phone from his pocket and starts dialing a number.

A few seconds later, a voice answers on the other end of the call, "What's up this time, doc?"

"Sir, we have some _situation_ here."

* * *

><p>The first thing that Anko notices when she arrives at the hospital is that there is a bunch of reporter hording by the hospital's gate. The security guards barely manage to keep them from entering the hospital compound.<p>

She honks her car repeatedly to make her way through the crowd.

"Miss, please show me your ID."

Anko sighs and winds down her car window.

"I'm Dr. Mitarashi. What on earth is happening here?"

"I don't know the details but it seems that the Uchiha heir has been admitted to the hospital last night."

"Thanks."

It's no wonder that the reporters are swarming like bees to honey in order to get their hands on the latest news.

The Uchiha Massacre that happened five years ago has shaken Konoha city's residences deeply. The eldest son, Uchiha Itachi has murdered every single member of his family in cold blooded manner, except for his younger brother. Until now, the case is still unsolved. The eldest son is on the run as a wanted fugitive. No one knows why he did it or why he only left his younger brother as the sole survivor in the tragedy.

The Uchiha was once a political powerful family. Many of its generation were senators, lawyers and even judge. Uchiha Fugaku, the head of the family, was a High Court Judge himself. His son, Uchiha Itachi was a promising prosecutor even at his young age of fifteen. He was a genius who graduated from Konoha Law Faculty at the age of thirteen. Rumours have it that he has snapped under the immense pressure and expectation.

The sole survivor of that tragedy, Uchiha Sasuke was only seven years old when he witnessed his brother committed the bloody crime. The terror of surviving something like that will haunt the child forever.

Despite what happened to him, Sasuke grows up to be a prodigy, just like his elder brother. Except from being cold and distant from everyone, he is relatively sane and brilliant. He is the best student in his year and he graduates from high school recently at the age of thirteen – the same age that his elder brother graduated from university. There were speculations that it isn't because he isn't brilliant enough to do the same but because of the interference from the minister to prevent him from graduating too early in fear of repeating history.

Graduating from high school also means he is now eligible to claim the wealth that his family left him in the will. It is no wonder that all the girls in town are crazy over him - he is handsome, smart and rich.

Anko shakes her head. The rich men's world is a peculiar world, a world she thinks she'll never understand.

As soon as she enters the hospital, a nurse calls out to her.

"Dr. Mitarashi, Sarutobi-sama summons you to his office immediately."

She frowns. The head of Konoha Hospital rarely summons her to his office unless there is something urgent.

"I'll get there right away."

A few minutes later, she is in front of the chairman's office door. She knocks twice on the door asking, "Sarutobi-sama, may I come in?"

"Come in."

His office is spacious but humble in decoration. A large wooden table sits at the centre of his office. Nothing decorates the wall except the portraits of the former and current Chairmans of Konoha Hospital in chronological order. Sarutobi Hiruzen is the third in line; therefore his subordinates often refer him as 'The Third'.

He also served the longest as the head of Konoha Hospital. He was supposed to be retired at his age but unfortunately he has to come back to office after his successor, Namikaze Minato sacrificed himself in a heroic attempt to save everyone else in the hospital from a horrendous fire a few years ago. The police have yet to catch the arsonist who goes by the nickname, Kyubi (Nine tailed fox).

The Third put down his pipe and gestures her to take a seat.

"Before you say anything, Anko, I need you to calm down and listen carefully to what I have to say."

Anko nods mutely. She has a feeling that whatever he is going to tell her, she isn't going to like it.

"As you may have already heard, Uchiha Sasuke has been admitted into our hospital last night." The Third pauses and eyes her levelly before he continues, "He was attacked by someone who fits the descriptions of Orochimaru. And he was being branded the same way as you were. Unfortunately, the virus has spread into his entire blood system and there is nothing much we can do about it. We have stabilized his condition but it's up to his own will if he is to survive this."

The blood in her suddenly runs cold. Orochimaru is back and he has added another victim to his long list. There is no way to describe how much she hates this man. She balls her fists so tightly that her knuckles turn white. Why doesn't he just die already?

"I understand how much this news upset you. Just don't attempt anything reckless, Anko. We've made a police report and we'll leave the rest to the police."

"What can the stupid police do? He is still on the loose all these fucking years! I'm going to find him and kill him," Anko says thickly.

"No, I will do it. I've lived long enough. You still have a bright future ahead of you. Don't ruin it for someone like him."

"But…"

The Third glares at her sharply.

"This is not a discussion. It is an order. Now get out from my office and do your job."

Anko stomps out from his office and closes the door with a loud bang.

The Third pinches the bridge of his nose wearily. He is really too old for this. His former prized disciple turns out be a psychopath who experiments on human beings. Most of his test subjects ended up dead, mutilated or went insane. Anko is one of the lucky ones. He should've put an end to Orochimaru years ago when he has the chance. If he hadn't let him go then, none of these would've happened. It is entirely his fault.

God have mercy on his old soul.

* * *

><p>It is one of those days where everything turns horribly wrong and you are so frustrated of it that you want to kick a puppy or somebody's sorry ass.<p>

"ARGH!" Anko screams her lungs out. She doesn't care if her voice wakes a few dead bodies in the morgue.

"There you are. Who pisses you off this time?"

Her red eyed best friend manages to find her hideout on the roof.

"Just leave me alone, Ku."

"Okay, if that's what you want. Just remember that if you want someone to talk to, you know where to find me."

"Thanks."

With that, Kurenai leaves her alone and Anko is thankful that she has such an understanding friend. After a while, she calms down a little and begins to put things into perspective. The Third is right. She knows what is the right thing to do. But it still feels wrong in so many ways.

First thing first, she has to find out about the Uchiha heir's condition.

Anko dusts off the dirt from her white robe as she stands up.

She has a job to be done.

* * *

><p>As expected, the Uchiha heir's room is heavily guarded by his bodyguards.<p>

She hasn't expected to see a familiar face among the bodyguards though. His wild mob of silver hair and masked face is a dead giveaway. Judging by the orange cover of the book that he is reading, Icha-Icha-whatever, she is certain that it is him. She simply can't believe that after all these years, he is still reading that damned book.

"Hatake?"

The man in question turns to face her abruptly. His single visible eye crinkles as he registers her face in his mind.

"Yo."

"Why are you here?"

"I can ask you the same."

"I'm a doctor here."

"I can see that."

She sighs exasperatedly. He still manages to remain as annoying as she remembers.

"I'm going in."

She pushes pass his shoulder.

"No can do, doc."

Immediately, his slender fingers wraps around her wrist firmly. She glares at him angrily and hisses, "Let go, Hatake."

_Or I'm going to jab you somewhere painful._

He doesn't seem to be fazed or bulge an inch.

"He needs to rest. No one should disturb him at this moment," he explains calmly.

"I'm a doctor! I have every right to examine him," she retorts.

"Sorry, orders from Sarutobi-sama himself."

_Damn it!_ She curses the old fart.

"Alright, I get it. Just let go already."

"If I let go, you'll have to promise me not to try anything funny."

_Like hell she won't!_

"Hn." She snorts. He eyes her suspiciously before releasing his grip slowly. When her hand is finally free, Anko wastes no time to throw a fist at his face, which he dodges with ease much to her frustration.

"Kakashi-sempai, do you need a hand?" One of his comrades steps forward and offers.

If looks can kill, that poor guy is probably dead a thousand times over.

"No, it's fine."

Kakashi shrugs nonchalantly.

Anko huffs in annoyance. Although she is a martial art black-belt holder herself, she isn't delusional enough to think she can win against someone elite like him. So she settles with fixing him another glare.

"Do you think the boy can make it?"

Kakashi flips another page of his book.

"He is a strong boy," he says without looking up from the book.

She bites her lips. There is something she wanted to tell him a long time.

"Let's hope so. For what it's worth, Hatake, your father was a good man. I owe him a thank you for standing up for me."

Kakashi's late father, Hatake Sakumo was a respectable chief police until he was condemned for letting a notorious terrorist escape in exchange of his subordinate's life. He was forced to resign from his position and subsequently he took his own life.

He had shielded her from the outraged public who threw rotten eggs at her while he was escorting her outside the courtroom. The public saw her nothing less than a terrorist who has taken five lives. He was among a handful of people who saw her as a girl who was being manipulated and paid a hefty price herself as a consequence.

Kakashi remains silent for the longest time before he murmurs a soft "I know."

His voice is almost inaudible but Anko hears him anyway.

Those who linger in the past can never truly move forward in life unless they make peace with it and put it behind them. Anko knows this because she has been through it herself. She can only hope that Kakashi will one day realize this as well.

* * *

><p>Uchiha Sasuke finally wakes up from his comatose three days later. Kakashi has been right. He is a strong boy. For now the virus remains domain, but there is no indication when it will attack its host again. He still has a long road ahead to recovery. Now that he has survived the initial onslaught of the virus and his body develops some kind of immunity against it, Anko knows it is only a matter of time that Orochimaru decides to show up and reaps his prize.<p>

So she waits.

Her effort only pays off a month later. The boy has almost recovered to his full strength by then.

Their first warning that the hospital is being attacked is that the power supply is cut off suddenly. They are engulfed in utter darkness for a few seconds before the generator kicks in. That is when the invaders strike and all hell break loose.

When the light is back, Sasuke's bodyguards are busy fighting off a group of men dressed in black suits. They are too occupied to notice that a figure has slipped into Sasuke's room amid the confusion and chaos.

The bed inside is empty.

Kabuto's eyes searches through the room swiftly. He realizes quickly that Sasuke is not there. They've moved him to somewhere else.

A rustle behind him is the only warning the surgeon gets that he has company in the room. He ducks and raises his arm to block a kick swiftly without looking back. Then he jumps back to put some distance between him and his opponent.

"Wait! I'm Dr. Yakushi. I'm just here to check if the patient is alright."

The attack halts momentarily, giving him a much needed break to evaluate the situation. When Kabuto realizes his opponent is the infamous Hatake Kakashi, he knows it will be to his disadvantage if the fight drags out longer than necessary. After all, his prime objective is to retrieve the Uchiha heir.

Kabuto grits his teeth and pulls a smoke bomb from his pocket. A second later, purple smoke fills the room rapidly. He utilizes that opportunity to smash the window and escape.

Kakashi curses under his mask for his carelessness. He shouldn't have let his guard down. He was supposed to stall the enemies and give Sasuke more time to escape. The danger is far from over yet. He can only hopes that by the time they realize their mistake, Sasuke is already gone.

Meanwhile, Anko doesn't sit around idly either. She is leading Uchiha Sasuke away from the hospital through a secret underground passage.

The scar on her neck throbs dully. Orochimaru is here. She can feel his presence lurking somewhere in the shadows, waiting for the best opportunity to strike. She switches on the torch lights and retrieves a mini revolver that is strapped to her inner thigh.

Only a handful of people know the existence of the passage in Konoha Hospital. She is one of them. The Third trusts her enough to show her the passage. The hospital building itself is old and the passage is no longer being use after the Third Great War. It leads to the local sewer lines and from there, it is a dangerous maze. One can easily get lost down there.

"Stay close to me, boy."

The Uchiha heir narrows his eyes and says coldly, "I'm capable of protecting myself."

Anko rolls her eyes. Really, someone ought to teach the rich brat some manners.

"Shut up if you don't want them to find you."

It is difficult to navigate in the dark. And the air is stuffy and moist. It reminds her uncomfortably about one of Orochimaru's lairs that she used to stay. She wants to get out from there as soon as she can. They almost reach a ladder that leads up to the surface when a low, eerie voice echoes in the dark.

"Kukuku, I've found you."

Anko unlocks the security pin of her gun.

"Go on without me." She whispers to Sasuke harshly.

"No." The Uchiha heir replies stubbornly.

Time is running out. She really doesn't have time and patience to argue with him.

"You'll die if you stay, stupid brat. And it'll be all for nothing," Anko hisses in the dark.

"It's too late now." A masculine voice rings behind them.

Their only exit is blocked when they turns around. Anko freezes in fear and despair. Her heartbeat is drumming in her ears. A man with long black hair and pasty face appears before their eyes. She remembers that face all too well – the sum of her worst nightmares, Orochimaru's. What surprises her even more is that the man who stands besides Orochimaru is none than Kaguya Kimimaro.

"Who are you? What do you want from me?" Sasuke asks directly. Although his voice is calm, Anko can still sees that his body is trembling slightly.

"You're a brave one. I give you that."

Orochimaru steps closer and scrutinizes the boy in front of him. His golden orbs gleams and narrows into slits, obviously pleased with what he sees.

Anko cocks her gun and aims at Orochimaru's head.

"Take one more step and I'll blow your head off."

She is not a twelve-year-old girl who was too scared to defy him anymore. She refuses to be a victim this time.

The pale face terrorist chuckles dryly.

"My bad, I've forgotten Anko-chan is here too."

Kimimaro steps forward and blocks in front of his master without hesitant. His gesture sends a clear message that she will have to shoot him first before she can get to his master.

Anko grits her teeth. _So be it._

But she hasn't anticipates Kimimaro to move as quickly as lightning. He is right in front of her in a flash of eye. Before she realizes what happens, a swift kick at her heels throws her out of balance. She fires her gun anyway although her aim is completely off the mark. She is utterly bewildered as to why a terminal cancer patient like him can fight as if he wasn't ill at all.

She isn't a completely helpless girl when it comes to defending herself physically but holding up against a strong male opponent is another matter all together. Anko barely manages to regain her footing and blocks another round of kick from him. She hisses in pain and drops her gun when her arm is twisted painfully next. Kimimaro remains unfazed by her kicks and claws as he pins her to the wall effectively with a hand around her neck.

At the corner of her eye, she can see that Sasuke is trying to fight off Orochimaru as well. But the thirteen-year-old boy is barely a match to an experienced opponent who has plenty dirty tricks up his sleeve. A cobra suddenly shoots out from Orochimaru's sleeve towards the Uchiha heir. Sasuke jumps back immediately but luck is not on his side as his back hit the wall behind. The boy raises an arm in defense but it doesn't stop the cobra from sinking its fang into his flesh.

"Don't worry. I have the antidote. I won't let the boy die so easily. He is my precious host after all."

The irony of Orochimaru's statement makes her want to laugh. It doesn't really matters now. It is over. They have lost. He can kill her right there and then and it won't make any difference. She closes her eyes in resignation.

"Get rid of her," Orochimaru orders. Kimimaro nods and complies without questions. His callous hand clamps down on Anko's windpipe, cutting off her air supply. She struggles to breathe.

"Let them go."

It's the Third's voice. Anko snaps her eyes open.

"How delightful to see you again, sensei."

"I'm surprised that you still call me as your sensei although I can hardly recall having such an _exceptional_ student like you." Sarutobi replies coldly.

"You've misunderstood me terribly, sensei. I wish I have more time but time is running out. You'll have to excuse me."

Orochimaru picks up a gun from the floor. Her gun. Sarutobi lunges towards Orochimaru regardless of his own safety. In desperation, Anko frees the pin from her hair and jabs it into Kimimaro's chest as hard as she can. She doesn't want to give up without a fight, not when the old man is fighting too. The iron grip around her neck finally loosens. She pushes Kimimaro away with all her might.

The sudden resounding sound of gunshots throws her off completely. Someone moves in front of her in a blur, shielding her from the bullets. The coppery tang of blood is thick in the air, choking her. None of the blood is hers. Under the dim light, she can see that blood trickles down from the corner of Kimimaro's mouth.

"Why?" she asks weakly, her eyes burn with unshed tears.

His sea green eyes look up to meet her gaze. They are the gentlest eyes she has ever seen. He smiles at her apologetically and it breaks her heart just to look at him.

"I'm sorry," Kimimaro murmurs. His eyes slide close and his body goes limp.

Anko lets out a broken cry, "N-no!"

He can't see or hear her anymore.

* * *

><p>It's a beautiful day, just like the day when she first met him at the hospital. The sky is bright and clear; the clouds are white and fluffy.<p>

Yet somehow, Anko will always remember it as a rainy day.

Because it is the day that they bury Kimimaro.

Twelve years ago, there was a stubborn girl and a kind boy.

_"Hey, are you alright?" the boy asked. _

_"Go away!" the girl snapped at him angrily. _

_She used to be her master's protégé. And then, the boy came. Her master never looks at her the same way since. She hated that boy._

_"We can be friends, you know?"_

_"I don't need friends."_

_"Everyone needs a friend," the boy smiled and said. It is a smile that comes from the bottom of his heart. And suddenly, she couldn't hate him anymore._

_He was her very first friend._

She remembers him now. She wishes she has remembered him sooner.

It is definitely going to rain soon, if the raindrop on her cheeks is any indication.

But it is okay. Genma is right there besides her.

He brought her an umbrella so that she doesn't have to stand in the rain alone.

* * *

><p>Orochimaru didn't die on that fateful day. He is arrested and prosecuted instead. After a long trial that lasted for a year, he is sentenced to death for being the mastermind of various terrorist attacks.<p>

Still, Anko doesn't think a death sentence is befitting of him.

He deserves something worse than death after all that he has done.

A week after he is sentenced to death, Orochimaru's life is cut short abruptly by the hand of the elder Uchiha brother. To everyone's surprise, Uchiha Itachi turns himself in voluntarily this time. The authority is highly mortified as to how he managed to break into the high-security prison without detection and kill Orochimaru by himself. Itachi's final request is to see his younger brother before he agrees to spill the beans on the Uchiha massacre.

Anko doesn't know about the details but she heard from Genma that Sasuke's curse is somehow lifted by his elder brother and that Itachi has died smiling in the prison.

* * *

><p>Anko lay down a bouquet of white daisies in front of Kimimaro's gravestone. A silver ring on her finger shines under the sunlight.<p>

"Oh, in case you're wondering, this isn't an engagement ring. But it's a start."

Kimimaro smiles back warmly from the black and white photograph.

He seems to agree with her too.

END

* * *

><p>AN: This is the longest one-shot that I've ever written so far. This fic is un-betaed, so all mistakes are mine alone. Please review if you can. And I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoy writing it.


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